I "WANT" to grow snails and crabs...

[nanshaw2001]

I am the proud new owner of 3 75 gallon tanks and a sump of the same size. We are going to set up 2 for coral propagation and would like to do 1 of them which is now divided in half for growing snails and crabs for eventual sale. Don't need anyone to flame me.....just thoughtful answers as to how to get started and how to keep my population growing. All answers greatfully appreciated! Excited yet apprehensive....know this will be a large undertaking!

 

[balogh03]

As far as the snails go, just give them about 1yr. I am always finding baby snails at night or in my refugium. I just don't know about the crabs, and maybe somebody else will chime in on that.

Good luck,

-augustus

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Breeding and rearing mollusks or crustaceans require a lot more work than even rearing clown fish.
You can PM Vicky about her raising shrimp.

Snails and hermit crabs are harvested by the thousands for pennies each. It is all the middle men that makes them more costly. Similar with emerald crabs. If you want to make some money raising shrimp, start a prawn hatchery in a place like Viet Nam or raise lobster in Florida, all for consumption. Even giant clams is a tough business. Anthony Calfo has written quite a bit on that industry.

Want something to raise to sell? Learn about growing mixed strains of macro algae. Later learn about crowning corals. Enough money can be made with hard work and skill to even pay for the expenses. Profit? That one is pretty tough in these latitudes where we do not have the free sunshine, fresh natural saltwater, water flow, and heat.